Using a Hierarchical Approach to Model Regional Source Sink Dynamics for Neotropical Nearctic Songbirds to Inform Management Practices on Department of Defense Installations

Abstract : The decline of Nearctic-Neotropical migratory birds over the last two-decades remains one of the most pressing issues in conservation biology. The DoD manages 25 million acres of land and has the joint responsibility of managing these high-quality forest, desert, prairie, and other lands while concurrently engaging in military readiness activities that can alter the structure and function of those habitats. Given that forest loss and fragmentation threaten terrestrial biodiversity worldwide, it is critical for DoD to understand what species are affected by these processes. Among vertebrate taxa, the DoD has taken an active role in the conservation and management of Neotropical-Nearctic migratory birds. DoD properties serve as critical habitat for several avian species of concern with many installations having been designated as Important Bird Areas. For continued effective management of migratory bird populations on DoD installation, both the spatial and temporal changes in distribution and dynamics of avian populations must beactively monitored.